Welcome to the city's informational page, Splash! Sit back and take a deep dive into what's going on around the lake. Check back weekly for new updates.

Mayor's Office

• On Monday, January 26, 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, community members are invited to join Mayor Brett Gailey at the Starbucks (next to MOD Pizza) at Frontier Village in Lake Stevens. Bring your questions or comments and chat over your favorite beverage with the Mayor. It’s a casual setting that provides the perfect opportunity to get to know your Mayor while discussing City-related topics that are important to you. 

Human Resources

• The city is hiring Police Officers to fill current vacancies and have an expedited hiring process for entry level, entry level advanced, and lateral officers. Lateral police officers are eligible for a hiring bonus up to $25,000 and $5,000 for moving expenses. Apply today at https://wa-lakestevens2.civicplus.com/377/Police-Officer-Testing-Process.
• The city is hiring for the position of City Engineer. The recruitment will remain open until filled. For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lakestevenswa/jobs/5093933/city-engineer?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
• Ready to build problem solving and facilitation skills? The City of Lake Stevens is offering a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification course from February 25 to May 20, 2026. Learn how to identify a problem, understand what is causing it, and improve the way things get done. This course is open to anyone, and it is applicable to work in every industry. Registration is currently open! Visit https://lakestevenswa.gov/682/Lean-Six-Sigma-Training for more information and to register.
• Ready to advance your Lean Six Sigma skills? The city is offering the Black Belt certification course in fall 2026. Classes are on Tuesdays, September 15 to November 3, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm, at The Mill. To learn more, visit: https://lakestevenswa.gov/682/Lean-Six-Sigma-Training

Finance

• The city passed its most recent financial and accountability audit from WA state. This transparency and accountability are critical to maintaining public trust. It also ensures fiscal compliance to safeguard taxpayer dollars. The end result saves taxpayers’ money and delivers services more efficiently. To learn more, view our Financial Statement report and Accountability report.
• The City Council adopted its 2026 budget at the December 2, 2025, council meeting.  Some of the highlights from the budget include funding for our local Volunteers of America, traffic safety initiatives, and IT infrastructure upgrades. For more information, visit our budget webpage: https://lakestevenswa.gov/97/Budget

Municipal Services

• The City of Lake Stevens is seeking to fill vacancies on: Salary Commission, Park Board, and Civil Service Commission. For more information and to apply, visit: https://lakestevenswa.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1049. Deadline for applications is Monday, February 2, 2026, at 5:00 pm.

Public Works  

• Interested in learning about capital projects Lake Stevens is working on? Visit: https://lakestevenswa.gov/476/Capital-Projects. Check back regularly for updates or sign up to be notified when new information is added.

Parks and Recreation

• The city is seeking proposals from qualified individuals or organizations to serve as the Farmers Market Manager for the 2026 season and beyond. To be considered, the proposal (RFP) must be submitted by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.  No submittals will be accepted after this date and time. Visit the Bid Postings page for more information: https://lakestevenswa.gov/bids.aspx?bidID=139
• Are you planning an upcoming event and are looking for a venue? Stop by The Mill's open house Thursday, February 12, 2026, 6 - 8 pm, in North Cove Park. For more information: https://www.lakestevenswa.gov/themillopenhouse
• To support its Phase II improvement construction project, Frontier Heights Park is closed with an anticipated project completion in February 2026. https://lakestevenswa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1018

• If you have lost an item at a city park, email Parks@lakestevenswa.gov or call (425) 622-9406 to inquire about your item.

Planning and Community Development

• Exciting news for Lake Stevens! Construction of the Lake Stevens Historical Museum & Retail Building begins January 19, 2026. This project will preserve our heritage, revitalize downtown and create space for local businesses. The groundbreaking ceremony is January 27, 2026, at 3:00 pm, at 12404 Mill Spur Road in downtown Lake Stevens. Join us as we celebrate this milestone for our community! For more information: https://lakestevenswa.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1050
• New Business License Fees will become effective January 1, 2026. For more information, visit: https://www.lakestevenswa.gov/727/2025-Permit-Fee-Schedules
• Every year, citizens can request amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and its implementing ordinances through a process known as "docketing," outlined in RCW 36.70A.470(2). The deadline for 2026-citizen initiated amendments is January 31, 2026. For more information, please visit the docket website.

Police Department

• Join the Lake Stevens Police Department for their annual Polar Plunge, on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 9:00 am, at North Cove Park. This is a fun and fast jump into the lake to raise money for Special Olympics Washington. There is a registration fee to join the team, and proceeds benefit Special Olympics Washington. For more information, visit: https://polarplungewa.com/
• The LSPD is forming a community partnership where all residents and businesses with cameras on their property, if interested, can register them with our department. Participation in this partnership is completely voluntary.  All registered information will be protected but may be subject to public disclosure by state law. The LSPD will not have direct access to your cameras. If you find that you do have relevant footage, you will be provided a link to upload it directly to our evidence system. If you are interested in participating in this community partnership or want to learn more about the program, please visit our webpage https://lakestevenswa.gov/765/Register-a-Camera
• Unused medications in the home are a primary source for drug abuse. Do you know how to get rid of old medicine safely? It’s not secure in the trash, and you should never flush them down the toilet. LSPD now has a safe, easy way to dispose of unwanted medications. Stop by the police department at 1825 South Lake Stevens Road and look for the green box about the size of a trash can inside the lobby. The rest is easy and best of all, it’s free! Let's make our community safer together. The LSPD lobby is open Monday through Friday from 9 am - 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm.
• The LSPD has partnered with SNO911 to enhance safety for Private Schools and Daycares within the City of Lake Stevens. Through this partnership, facilities can now receive Rave Alerts for nearby police activity. These alerts can help schools and daycares make informed decisions about activating their emergency lockdown procedures based on real-time information. Private Schools and Daycares to sign up, click here.
• Lake Stevens has been recognized as the 10th safest city in Washington for 2025! Safewise ranks cities based on crime data calculated from the FBI. Check out the SafeWise website for more information: https://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-washington/#city10

In Other News

• Starting January 1, 2026, the city will implement a new 3% service fee. This is to cover the expenses associated with processing credit card payments. To avoid this fee, you can pay in person with a check. Please note, the city does not accept cash.
• Attention high school seniors! The Arlington Garden Club is requesting scholarships applications. Students graduating from the high schools or alternative high schools in these districts are invited to apply: Arlington, Stanwood, Darrington, Lakewood, Marysville, Lake Stevens, and Granite Falls. The scholarship will go to students who are interested in a degree in horticulture, agriculture, biology, forestry, animal husbandry, or environmental science. The scholarship is up to $2,500 per student. The deadline to apply is April 15, 2026. For more information, including the application, visit: https://arlingtongardenclub.org/scholarship-program

City Meetings 

• Tuesday: City Council and Park Board at 6:00 pm.
• Wednesday: Planning Commission at 6:00 pm.
• For more information, visit the City Calendar.